Fairfax County Court Records
Fairfax County Court records are official records that give details on court cases handled by the local County court. The Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center maintains these records, which the Fairfax County Circuit Court produces. Three locations offer access to these records for inspection. The Fairfax County Courthouse, the Offsite Records Center, and the Historic Records Center are some locations. The records preserved by these offices include
- Criminal case files
- Adoption case files
- Probate court files
- Civil case files
According to the Code of Virginia §16.1- 69.55, the general district court keeps Fairfax County Civil Court records for ten years before being sent to the County archives. Criminal court records are also kept at the Fairfax courthouse for ten years, except for criminal sexual offense records, which are held for 50 years. In general, court records are treated as part of Fairfax County’s Public Records unless otherwise specified by law or judicial order.
Are Court Records Public in Fairfax County?
According to the Virginia Public Records Act, unless they have been sealed or erased by a court order, court records are typically regarded as public records. This indicates that most court documents in Fairfax County, including those about civil, criminal, and traffic proceedings, are accessible to the general public for review and copying.
However, some court records, such as those pertaining to juvenile or adoption matters, may restrict public access. Additionally, certain court documents might include private information that has been redacted or withheld from public view, Only the parties concerned and/or their attorneys of record are permitted to examine any "Sealed" records such as Social Security numbers or medical records. To access confidential court records, interested persons may need to provide a particular court order.
What Do Fairfax County Court Records Contain?
In general, Fairfax County court records include the following details:
- Name of defendant
- Case number
- Defendant address
- Defendants gender
- Defendants race
- Filed date
- Charge
- Case type
- Offense date
- Appeal date
- Hearing information
- Disposition information
- Plaintiff information
The information included in court records is very important because they help court staff and the general public to keep track of court proceedings. court record details are also important because they can be used to search for records from any court record database. For Example, a distinct name, such as one of the plaintiff's maiden or birth name, may be used when filing a civil lawsuit. Before conducting a search, it can be useful to be aware of alternative variations of a claimant's name.
Where to Conduct a Fairfax County Case Lookup
Interested individuals can conduct a Fairfax County case look-up through:
- Fairfax circuit court
- The court of appeals of Virginia
- Supreme court of Virginia
How to Conduct a Fairfax County Court Case Search
A Fairfax County case records search can be done online or in person at the County circuit courthouse. Online requests for Fairfax County case record information can be made through the Fairfax circuit court file review request portal or the district court's online case information system.
Also, during business hours, anybody may come to the Fairfax Circuit Court's courtroom and request in-person court records. According to the required document category, these records are kept in various divisions of the courthouse. For example, the criminal division houses criminal records. Persons can also Search for considerably older criminal and civil court records in person at the Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center. Copies of legal documents cost $0.50 per page. There is an additional $2.00 per document charge for a copy to be certified, which is a copy that has been stamped, signed, and has a seal attached by a deputy clerk. In addition to the copy cost, there is an additional charge of $2.50 per document for a triple-seal copy (signed and sealed by both the Clerk of Court and a Judge).
Fairfax County Civil Court Case Records
Records of legal procedures in civil courts are referred to as civil court case records. The many phases of a civil lawsuit are captured in these documents, including the submission of a complaint or petition, pretrial motions, and hearings, the actual trial, and any further appeals or post-trial motions.
Some examples of civil court cases handled by the Fairfax County circuit court include
- small claims: Minor claims suits are civil actions where the plaintiff is requesting a monetary award of up to $5,000 or the return of personal property with a maximum value of $5,000. In small claims court, attorneys are not present.
- Eviction claims: Landlords can get control of leased real estate by filing eviction claims against tenants who refuse to vacate.
- Overweight Truck Infractions: In Virginia, if a motor carrier is discovered to be operating a vehicle that has exceeded the weight restrictions provided by Virginia Code 46.2-1133, an overweight penalty will be given. In general, a case involving an overweight truck citation can be disputed in a civil court in various ways if it is treated as a civil matter.
Fairfax County civil case records can be requested using the Fairfax file review request form. To submit a request using this form individuals must supply their full name, type of document, the document case number, plaintiff name, and defendant's full name. After submission, the defendant is usually notified of document availability and where to find it. The Fairfax circuit court's civil records/file room is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Individuals may also obtain copies there in person. The office is located at
Fairfax Circuit Court
4110 Chain Bridge Road
3rd Floor/Suite 320 - Civil Records/File Room
Fairfax, VA 22030
Fairfax County Criminal Court Case Records
Criminal court case files in Fairfax County are official records that detail a County-filed lawsuit against a person who violated a criminal law. The indexing, processing, and upkeep of all Felony and Misdemeanor Crime and Traffic Appeal case files and records fall under the purview of the Criminal Division of the County circuit court. some examples of criminal court cases are:
- Felony cases-murder, carjacking
- Misdemeanor criminal appeals cases-shoplifting
- Misdemeanor traffic appeal cases-drunk driving
Fairfax County criminal court case records can be obtained in person by visiting the Fairfax County courthouse. Files are kept in Suite 409 on the fourth level of the Criminal Division. To make a search request individuals will need to submit a valid ID. Juvenile file requests will also require individuals to demonstrate that they are a defendant, guardian ad litem, guardian, attorney of record, or commonwealth attorney.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Fairfax County court records can be gotten online via the Virginia online case information system. This system can be used to perform a statewide search for court record information relating to civil and criminal offenses from all general district courts and a select number of circuit courts in the state. To use this System go to the Virginia judicial system website and select the statewide search option. Navigate to the search criteria and select Fairfax circuit County court under “all courts option”. Requesters can narrow searches down by selecting circuit court under the “court levels” option. A search can be initiated using any of the following keywords:
- Name
- Hearing date
- Case number
Basic court details such as case number, defendant's name, case type, hearing date/time, hearing type, courtroom, and case category will be shown in the search results.
Considered open to citizens of the United States, court records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:
- The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
- The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.
While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.
Courts in Fairfax County
Fairfax County General District Court
Address
4110 Chain Bridge Road
Suite 210
Fairfax, VA 22030-0458
Fairfax Circuit Court
Address
4110 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
Address
4110 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, VA 22030-4020
